NEW DELHI, Feb 15, (KUNA): Around 650,000 Indians living in Kuwait are the biggest foreign community, and the least problematic one as well, contributing immensely towards development of Kuwait, said Special Envoy of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al Sabah and Advisor at the Amiri Diwan Mohammad Abdullah Abul-Hasan here Friday.

He was interacting with students/scholars at the Indo-Arab Cultural Centre situated at the world famous Jamia Millia Islamia University in the Indian capital.

Addressing the students/scholars, he said it was his seventh visit to India, and acknowledged age-old strong bilateral ties between the two nations.

“We have had very cordial relations with India all these years, and intend to build even stronger and closer ties with New Delhi in future. There are nearly 110 different communities living in Kuwait from different countries, but Indians acquire a special space. They are brilliant, least problematic, and work in different sectors like health, trade and commerce for the overall development of Kuwait,” he said, much to the encouragement of all those present on the occasion.

To a question from a student about oil exports to India, he said that his country has always stood strongly behind India as far as meeting its energy needs are concerned. “In past whenever other countries stopped oil exports to India, Kuwait always pitched in. India has always been a prominent consumer of Kuwaiti oil. Over the past few years, Kuwaiti oil exports to India have increased from 200 million barrels to 400 million barrels.” On role of women in Kuwaiti politics, he said that women were playing a key role in politics, business, diplomacy and overall governance. “Today, we have a lady ambassador in Chile, as many as 10 diplomats at different Kuwaiti embassies across the world, several women heading different government committees, and also Members of Parliament,” he elaborated.

He further added: “We respect gender equality in Kuwaiti politics.” Earlier in the day, Abul-Hasan met Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khursheed at the latter’s office to deliver a letter for President of India Pranab Mukherjee. The letter sheds light on promoting bilateral ties in various fields and latest developments on regional and international arenas.

The Kuwaiti Amir’s envoy also held talks with the Indian minister about the $2-billion fund set up to finance projects in as many as 32 non-Arab Asian countries. Kuwait has committed to contribute $300 million towards the fund.

Speaking to KUNA, Khursheed said: “today I met the Kuwaiti Amir’s envoy. We discussed how to operationalize the fund set up for development projects in 32 non-Arab Asian countries.”